"When Robert Oppenheimer, head of the U.S Manhattan Project that created the
atomic bomb, wanted to visualize what destructive powers would be unleashed by his
monstrous new weapon, he studied the devastation of the Halifax explosion."
(Beltrame, p.2)

The Halifax explosion was believed to be the greatest man-made explosion in history,
until Oppenheimers atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. "The moment in time
disrupted lives, transformed cities and changed the world... people had never seen
anything like it." (Halifax Herald, p.1) The collision of Mont Blanc and Imo killed
more than 1,600 people and injured 9,000. Six hundred people suffered eye injuries, while
more than half of those lost at least one eye and 38 people were totally blinded. The
disturbing memories drove many survivors insane. One Halifax doctor, horrified by the
disaster, hung himself.

Halifax was first founded as a result of the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, the oldest
British settlement in what is now the Dominion of Canada. The Dockyard of Halifax was
established in the midst of the Seven Years War. During World War One, Halifax was a major
supply line for the trenches; in people, horses, supplies and munitions. The Great War had
brought prosperity to Halifax. The harbour handled over 17 million tonnes of shipping.
Many convoys assembled in the Bedford Basin, carrying supplies of men and materials to
Europe. When disaster struck, "A son of the Lieutenant Governor, Lieutenant Eric
Grant, on leave from France, said the sights were worse than anything he had seen in the
trenches". ("The Halifax Explosion").

On the morning of December 6, 1917, the early risers were hard at work. With only three
weeks until Christmas, businesses were booming and the stores were getting stocked up with
supplies. It was a "bright morning with a chill in the air. The weather forecast
testified to this: fair, frozen ground, light northwest wind, no precipitation,
temperature 39.2 maximum and 16.8 min."

(Monnon, p.38)

A Norwegian ship with "BELGIAN RELIEF" written on the side, known as the Imo,
129m long by 13m wide with a crew of 39, captain Haakon From, was leaving the Bedford
Basin where it had docked the night before, heading out to New York to pick up relief
supplies just after 8:00am. It was hugging the Dartmouth coast as larger ships were
crowding it. The Mont Blanc, 99m long by 12m wide, with a crew of 41 and captain Aime Le
Medec, was entering the harbour to join convoy at 7:30am when the gate opened. The Mont
Blanc had left New York four days earlier picking up a cargo of 2335 tonnes of picric
acid, 203 tonnes of TNT, 10 tonnes of gun cotton and 35 tonnes of a new type pf gasoline
called benzol. (Kitz, p.2) For some unknown reason, it was cutting across the center of
the channel heading straight for the Imo. Mont Blanc whistled a warning to Imo, letting it
know it was coming straight towards it. Imo replied but kept sailing. Mont Blanc shut off
its engines and signaled again. Once again Imo replied two blasts. Mont Blanc headed left,
as there was no other choice. Imo blasted three signals, meaning it was reversing its
engines. The two ships touched, thinking it was just a little bump, but within seconds
there was black rising from the front of Imo, leading captains to believe it was a hard
smack! Fire bells were ringing and people rushed to their doors and windows to see what
was going on. There was complete silence, "as if the whole world
stopped"(Monnon, p.48), and a black cloud filled the city. Just minutes before the
explosion Vincent Coleman, a telegraph operator, sacrificed his life to telegraph a
warning. He had watched the incident from his office, and fearing an explosion sent the
following message to Truro. "A munition ship is on fire and is heading for Pier 8.
Good-bye." (Monnon, p.41) By doing this, Coleman sacrificed his life and saved the
700 on the train heading towards Halifax.

Mont Blancs captain yelled "abandon ship!" just seconds after the hit
at about 8:45am.

(Beltrame, p.3) A few minutes after 9:00am, the Mont Blanc blew up. Fragments flew
everywhere. The shock was felt 300km away. A winding column of smoke and burnt-out gases
rose for three miles into the sky above the North End. "It hung there for many
minutes, turning from black to grey and then to cotton-wool white, and it looked for all
the world like some enormous, mutated mushroom." (Bird, p.65) After the explosion
came a gigantic tidal wave. Many thought the Germans fired on the city. After the bang
people ran around screaming "The Germans are here!" (Beltrame, p.2) "It was
almost as if Fate, unconvinced that the exploding chemicals in the hold of the Mont Blanc
had struck a death blow to Halifax was now calling upon nature to administer the coup de
grace". (Bird, 1995, page 108).

About two and a half square miles was destroyed. A piece of Mont Blancs anchor,
weighing a half-ton, landed over two miles away. Around noon word was spread that it was
safe to go home, but for 6,000 people, there was no home to go to. For 25,000 others, home
was shelters; with no windows, roofs and little food and warmth. Within thirty minutes of
the explosion, organized search and rescue teams were amongst the wreckage, finding the
injured and the dead. The following day a Relief Committee had been set up. The task was
to provide aid for the injured, shelter for the homeless and food for the hungry. Some
carried one while others moved in with distant relatives. Some never even returned to
school or work. A survivor states "one of the sights I shall never forget was that of
a mother with two children. She was holding them so tightly that even in death we
couldnt part them. They were buried like that." (Monnon, p.63)

The question asked by many, was who was to blame? Many say it was
"sabotage" and "the Huns were behind it", while others say it was just
"an accident". (Monnon, p.40) However, after the collision, it was determined
that both ships could have avoided the crash by recognizing the danger earlier, but once
they were in the situation, there seemed to be no turning back. The day after, in the
Halifax Herald, the blame was placed on Kaiser because he had started the war. Many, if
not all, Germans in Halifax were arrested, but soon released. There was only one course
open that might prevent an explosion. The Mont Blanc could have taken full speed ahead in
an attempt to force enough water through the hole made by the Imo to extinguish the fire
in No.1 hold. (Bird, p.46) One might say the Mont Blanc was responsible for the disaster
for it had been flying the French tricolor but no red flag, which is the International
symbol for "I have explosives on board" (Monnon, p.46 ) William Hayes, pilot of
the Imo, died in the explosion while pilot Francis MacKay of the Mont Blanc survived and
was charged with man slaughter, specifically with killing Hayes. A hearing was taken to
the Privy Council in London and both ships were found equally guilty.

News of the disaster spread quickly and funds came from around the world, as far away
as New Zealand. Most of the rescue relief came from Massachusetts. They sent the most
comprehensive relief aid from Boston. Not only medical staff and supplies, but food,
clothing, transport, and even glass and glaziers. In return, Halifax sends a giant
Christmas tree to Boston to show that their help will always be remembered.

The explosion marked the beginning of the Red Cross as aid was sent by the American Red
Cross. The people and the government of the United States, in dispatching to Halifax train
and boat loads of supplies. "Their neighborly kindness will never be forgotten"
(Metson, p.126)

The Halifax explosion had a monstrous impact that devastated many Maritimers. The
countless occupied cemeteries in Halifax, Nova Scotia, are a constant reminder of the
destruction and terrible loss sorely felt by our neighbors.